


71. Meeting Luke's Parents

by alley_oops, jennandanica



Series: Citadel: Luke Evans and Alex Skarsgard [71]
Category: Actor RPF, Citadel (Journalfen RPG), True Blood RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-11-02
Updated: 2008-11-02
Packaged: 2018-01-01 14:11:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1044874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alley_oops/pseuds/alley_oops, https://archiveofourown.org/users/jennandanica/pseuds/jennandanica





	71. Meeting Luke's Parents

__**Luke Evans and Alex[](http://www.journalfen.net/users/skarsgard/profile)[ **skarsgard**](http://www.journalfen.net/users/skarsgard/) : meeting Luke's parents**   
**players only. takes place in Wales. backdated to mid-July, right after Alex and Luke visited with Alex's family and Luke spent some time[in Mrs. Skarsgard's kitchen](http://www.journalfen.net/users/skarsgard/20241.html).**

"It's just the four of us tonight but my nana and gransha will join us for brunch tomorrow," Luke says, taking the exit that leads into the small town of Aberbargoed. "I thought it might be better if we deal with my mum and dad first since my grandparents'll take their cue from them." He smiles over at Alex. "Not that they'll be anything but welcoming," he assures him.

"Okay." Alex still has his doubts on that score, but he's tactfully keeping them to himself. The close bonds that Luke has with his family are readily apparent just in the way he talks about them, always with a wistful smile in his voice, like - as excited as he is to be out in the world - a small piece of his heart will always remain back in Wales. "And your parents are as prepared to meet me as you could possibly've made them?"

"Oh, definitely," Luke says. "They know I wouldn't be bringing you home unless we were really serious and my mum said she thinks you're terribly attractive which is about as close as she'll get to admitting she thinks you're sex on legs." He laughs then points out the window past Alex. "There's where I went to school."

His mind is still stuttering a few moments behind, so Alex has to blink and make himself catch up after that 'sex on legs' bit. "Your school looks tiny," he says, craning his neck to see around the back. "Where are the bushes you used to secretly make out in, in between classes?" He doesn't actually know if such bushes even exist or if such events actually occurred. But he thinks it could be a solid guess.

"There weren't any," Luke says. "There were ones we made out in _after_ school, on the way home." He laughs again and points at the thicket of trees set back from the road as they go.

"Ah." Alex looks over his shoulder, and marks the place on his memory. "Did you do any sports or anything, after school? Was there a choir you were in or something like that?"

"I played rugby and sang in the choir but I spent a lot of time with my mum and dad, going from door-to-door," Luke says, making a sharp turn off the main road and onto a gravelled side one.

Alex nods in understanding. Luke's upbringing and its accompanying experiences were no doubt worlds away from Alex's own. Which just makes it doubly precious to him that they fit together so well now. He's been keeping his hands to himself during the drive, but now he can't help but reach out and lightly caress Luke's nape, feeling the fine hairs beneath his fingertips.

"Mm. That feels good," Luke says with a smile, sighing contentedly.

Smiling, Alex watches his lover, even though the green countryside rising around them is lovely. "Tell me if I need to stop," he murmurs. "Because sometimes I just need to touch you."

"I will, but I don't want you to," Luke says. "My parents will get used to it." He smiles. "They've only met two of my boyfriends before and we were still kids -- too shy to touch each other _at all_ around them."

"I can be shy," Alex replies, well aware his lover knows him far too well to believe that nonsense for even an instant. "Okay. I can picture you being shy, anyway." And god that just makes him want to grab Luke and use every trick he knows to tip his boy over the edge into brazen uninhibition.

"I was _incredibly_ shy as a kid," Luke says. "I did all the door-to-door stuff and I wasn't the quietest kid in class but I really had to force myself to open up, put myself out there."

"Yeah?" Alex grins, picturing it. "Did you ever, I don't know, blush in class when the teacher called your name?"

"Only when I got caught doing something I shouldn't be," Luke replies, glancing over at Alex, his heart clenching tight at the sight of his lover. "Or when I had a crush on them."

"Hmmm." Alex studies Luke, his mind haring off to places it's just got no business going. "You know, I could have been an exchange student to your school. I'm only a couple years ahead of you. I'd need someone to show me around..." His eyes sparkle as he watches his lover.

Luke squirms in the driver's seat, his cock filling instantly. Shit. "Maybe we could get Citadel to mock up a classroom," he suggests, hoping he can get himself back under control before they reach his parent's driveway. "Or do they already have something like that?"

"They probably do." Alex nods, still tracing circles over the back of Luke's neck. "And if not, then yeah, they'll make one up for us." He grins. Damn, it's been so long since he's had a good roleplay, and he's dying to try one with Luke.

Luke nods, unable to clear his mind of the images Alex has put there. He shivers under his lover's fingers, his cock straining against his zipper. "God. You just had to come up with that right before we see my parents..." he says, shaking his head in amused disbelief.

"Sorry," Alex says, completely unrepentant as always. "But you already knew that I'm jealous of your first boyfriends. It just makes sense that I'd be thinking about it, given where we are." He doesn't want Luke to be uncomfortable, though, not at such an important time. "Do you think you'll be okay like this? Or do we need to pull over and find some trees?"

God, it's tempting. Luke glances at his watch, mulling the idea over. "We'd better not," he says finally with a sigh. "They'll be expecting us and I'm not sure I can keep a straight face when they ask about the delay."

"I thought your family didn't expect you to keep a straight face anymore," Alex teases.

Luke laughs. "You're evil," he informs his sir, shaking his head some more and smiling over at Alex. "But I love you anyway." Grin widening.

"I love you, too," Alex says softly, all joking aside. "And I'm scared as hell about meeting your family."

"I know," Luke says, and he really does, having already been through it himself with the Skarsgards. "But I swear there's nothing to worry about. They really will love you," he assures Alex, reaching out to give his lover's knee a squeeze. "I promise."

"Okay," Alex sighs. He holds on tight to Luke's words, and tries like anything to believe them. It's been a long time since he's really cared what people thought of him outside his professional life, and even professionally he just wants respect; it doesn't so much matter to him whether or not people in the industry _like_ him. But this? This means everything.

"Here we are," Luke announces, making one last sharp turn into a driveway virtually hidden by tall bushes. "That's where I grew up," he says, nodding at the stone cottage set well back from the road.

Alex smiles and tries to look everywhere at once. "Really? This is your house? It looks like a postcard," he says when Luke shuts the engine down. "Do you have, like, a stove that burns peat? Or a... a well? Do you keep chickens?" City-boy questions.

"Actually, we burn peat on the fireplace, but only in winter," Luke says, stretching as he gets out of the car. "And my nana and gransha keep chickens. My mum grows all her own vegetables in the garden out back but we're on the town water grid." He cocks his head at the cottage. "I guess it does look kind of idyllic from the outside but it's pretty homely inside."

Alex's smile turns warm as he watches his lover. "Does it feel good to be home?"

Luke nods. "But it feels even better to be here with you," he says, smiling back. He pops the trunk and hands Alex his bag, slinging his own over his shoulder. He's just about to take Alex's hand and lead him to the door when it flings open and out come his parents. "Mum! Dad!" He hugs and kisses them both. "This is Alex."

"Hi." Fuck. Alex would rather face a firing squad, and he's afraid it shows. He's not usually shy, not ordinarily nervous... He's pretty sure his hand shakes when he holds it out to Luke's father. "It's good to meet you both."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Luke's dad responds, shaking Alex's hand. He's seen Alex in magazines - his wife's gone out of her way to find pictures of him ever since Luke told them they were dating - but that doesn't stop him from sizing up the man now. "How was your flight and the drive?"

"Great. Very smooth," Alex answers. Mr. Evans looks exactly like Luke - or vice-versa - only twenty years older, and it's very unnerving. Alex offers his hand to Mrs. Evans, still trim and pretty and looking too young to have a grown son. "This is my first visit to Wales. It's even more beautiful than I'd expected."

"Luke said the same about Sweden," Luke's mum says with a smile, shaking Alex's hand, gaze flickering between her son and his boyfriend. They look good together, well-matched. "He also said he loved your mum's cooking so it sounds like I'm going to have my work cut out for me."

Alex laughs a little. He figures he's going to have to adjust to their accents before he catches every word, but he thinks he's getting the gist of it so far. He's so used to listening to Luke that the very thick Welsh voices are a bit of a shock, and he wonders how he sounds to them. "Luke's an amazing cook," he says, hitching his bag onto his shoulder and giving his lover a smile. "I figured he must have gotten it from you."

Yvonne smiles at that and wraps her arm around Luke's shoulders, giving him another hug. "Well, let's get you both inside," she says. "Luke, you're in the guest room and Alex is in your old room if you want to show him up and get settled before dinner. I assume you're both hungry?"

"I'm starving," Luke says, struggling to keep his own voice clearer and not fall back into the Welsh brogue he grew up with. "We didn't eat much on the plane and I was in too much of a hurry to stop for lunch."

"Good," David chimes in. "Your mum's made your favourite." He smiles at Alex, leading the way into the house. "Roast leg of lamb." The smell of which fills the air inside the cottage.

Rosemary and ginger are fragrant on the air when Alex steps inside, and he stifles a groan. "I didn't realize how hungry I was," he murmurs in explanation. He looks all around, trying to absorb every detail, and grins when he spies a framed photograph on the wall which is very clearly Luke as a boy. "Aww, you were adorable," he tells his lover. "How old were you here?"

"Seven or eight, I think," Luke says. "Mum?"

"Eight," Yvonne supplies helpfully. "Your cousins were down and Rhan and I took you and the boys to have your pictures done in Cardiff."

Luke grins. "There you go. Come on and I'll show you your room," he says, leading Alex upstairs.

"Thirty minutes," Yvonne calls after them. "Dinner'll be on the table."

"Thirty minutes," Alex whispers, a mischievous smile on his face as Luke leads him down the hallway. But then he sighs. "Am I allowed to touch you while we're here?" he asks his lover softly, setting his bag on the floor next to a neatly-made bed. It's not a question he'd ordinarily bother with - _allowed?_ \- but he doesn't want to make Luke truly uncomfortable.

"In front of my parents, or here?" Luke asks, running a hand through his hair as he surveys his room, which still looks much like it did when he was ten, his posters exchanged for actual paintings.

"Here," Alex answers. He's already pretty much decided that he won't be touching Luke in front of his parents.

Luke nods, smiling, closing the distance between them and pressing up close, his own bag set on the floor. "The stairs creak," he says softly. "You can always tell when someone's coming up."

"Is that so?" Alex grins and drops his hands down to cup Luke's ass, dragging him in even tighter. He nips Luke's throat. "And what about your bed? Is that noisy too?"

Luke laughs. "Incredibly noisy," he admits regretfully, groaning as he feels Alex's cock hardening against him.

"Where am I supposed to take advantage of you then?" Alex asks, slipping his hands beneath Luke's shirt to toy with his nipples, even though he knows he's only cruelly teasing them both.

"I don't know. I thought you were supposed to be the creative one," Luke teases, grinding against Alex with a sharp gasp, his cock responding in kind.

Alex laughs. "You don't even want to know what I'm going to come up with," he warns. He drops one hand down to press against the ridge of Luke's cock, rubbing him through his jeans. "I'll have you gagged and on your knees in the woods outside your grammar school."

That gets a whimper, Luke swallowing hard against the sharp spike of arousal, the blush staining his cheeks, spreading right down into his chest. "You wouldn't," he whispers, even though he knows better.

Grinning, Alex shakes his head. "Are you worried someone will catch you getting fucked?" he whispers back, now stroking just one finger against his lover, slowly up and down. "That they'll see you getting your ass plowed open like the desperate little slut you are? Because I could just have you blow me instead. Hands behind your back, tears in your eyes and your cock so fucking hard..."

Fuck. Luke doesn't even know how to respond to that. He just stares at Alex, his eyes wide, aching... cheeks stained a deeper, darker red. Ashamed of just how badly he wants Alex to carry through.

 _Fucking hell_. Lust pulses sharply through Alex, and he slips his other hand up to circle Luke's nape, fingers pressed right where his collar would be if he were wearing it. "I love it when you blush," he murmurs. "You make me want to just fuck it right out of you." At this rate neither of them will be presentable by dinner time. He steps back with a regretful sigh, releasing his boy.

Luke's never wished more that they were staying at a hotel instead of with his parents. The days stretch out before him in his mind and he's certain he'll likely go mad if they don't find a way around this. "We can go for a walk after dinner," he blurts out. "Or run into the village for my mum when she needs something."

Alex's lips quirk in a grin. "Maybe we can think of something she needs, just so we can run into the village."

Luke blushes again. He can't help the way he feels around Alex, the way he loses all discretion and common sense. Hell, he'd let Alex fuck him here, right now, if he wanted, even with his parents downstairs, risking that they might come up any second. "Um. I'm going to put my things in the guest room," he says quietly, picking his bag back up.

"Okay." Alex demurely puts his hands in his pockets and leans back against the bedpost. "I'm going to stay here and search your room for your ancient porn stash."

"You won't find any," Luke says with a smile. "It all moved to London with me. Well, Cardiff then London."

"Damn." Alex smothers a chuckle, watching his boy. Fuck, Luke is just... effortlessly irresistible. "You need to go," Alex tells him quietly after a few more moments just spent watching him. "Or I'm going to throw you on your squeaky bed and start tearing your clothes off, and your mum will be pissed off that we're late for dinner."

"For my favourite dinner," Luke reminds him, although god, it's tempting to stay, to push and see what happens. "I'll be back to get you," he promises, stepping out of the room and continuing to the end of the hall. His parents have already made up the pull-out bed so he only has a few clothes to hang up and his bag to stash in the back of the wardrobe.

When his lover is gone, Alex looks around the room, trying to gain a sense of the boy Luke used to be. But there's really nothing lingering beyond the usual furnishings of a bland guest bedroom. He even checks beneath the mattress, then peers out the window to see if there's a convenient tree Luke might have climbed down when sneaking out.

Luke takes the time to quickly wash up and change his shirt. By the time he returns to his lover, his erection's gone down and he's breathing easy once again. "The washroom's down the hall and there's a set of towels on the rack behind the door if you want to freshen up," he says, smiling, watching Alex gazing out his window. "Like the view?"

"It's as beautiful as you promised," Alex says, turning to his lover with a smile. He reaches out to Luke and pulls him closer, linking their fingers together. "Were you ever much for sneaking out?" he asks, with a nod towards the tree.

Luke nods. "Not too often after my dad caught me, but before that I used to go out and meet my boyfriend once or twice a week," he confesses with a smile, leaning in close.

Stroking his fingers over Luke's cheek, Alex laughs. "Damn, you were wild. For a while there, they must've been worried you were going to get some village girl pregnant."

Luke blushes again. "I told them I was just sneaking out to watch the stars." And certainly, that's how meeting up with Jamie had started.

Alex raises an eyebrow. "And they believed you?"

Luke laughs, ducking his head a little. "I think they _wanted_ to believe me."

"Eh, my parents _never_ believed me," Alex says, slipping his arms around Luke's waist. "They always knew I was bound to be out getting into trouble."

"Mine probably wouldn't have believed me if I didn't spend every weekend going door-to-door with them," Luke says, unsure if Alex really knows what his childhood was like. Now isn't the time to discuss it though. He playfully tugs against his lover's hold. "Come on. My mum'll be after us if we keep dinner waiting."

"I definitely don't want to be pissing off your mum this early. I only just got here," Alex murmurs in agreement, but that doesn't stop him from cupping his hand around Luke's nape and capturing his boy's lips for a kiss.

Luke moans softly into Alex's mouth. He sways, leaning into him, into that touch which never fails to set him on fire no matter how gentle. God.

Alex can feel the point at which Luke begins to melt. And suddenly he _needs_ , god, needs to strip his boy and lay him down and taste. He cups Luke's ass, kneading the firm flesh and grinding against him. The creak of footsteps on the stairs doesn't even register in his brain as anything more than ambient noise.

Luke moans into the kiss, grinding back, his cock rearing up again. Until he hears that creak. He pushes Alex back, his eyes wide. "Coming," he calls, panting softly. Shit. The sound recedes. "We'd better go down," he tells Alex, taking his hand and pulling him in that direction, his shirt tugged over his crotch.

For an instant after Luke pushes him away, Alex is in complete shock. But then his brain catches up and he nods. "Later, boy," he whispers, and the glint of his wicked smile could make the words either threat or promise.

God. "Yes, sir," Luke responds, wondering how the hell he's going to make it through dinner with his mum and dad when all he can think about is getting Alex's hands back on him, his cock inside him. "Sorry, Mum," he chirps as they hit the ground floor, Alex in tow. "Alex was just admiring your garden and the countryside."

"Is that so?" Yvonne says, indicating chairs on either side of the table. "Does your mum garden?" she asks Alex, motioning for David to take a seat as well.

"Mmm, my mother has a magical touch. She can kill any green plant with the power of her gaze alone," Alex answers with a wry smile as he sits down opposite his lover. "I have a garden going for Luke, though, at my place in Los Angeles. It seems to be doing okay so far."

Yvonne smiles at that, glancing at her husband to see if he's taken it in. "What are you growing?" she asks, making sure the table is set properly and all the dishes out.

"A bunch of different herbs, a couple varieties of tomatoes, some bell peppers but they've been kind of getting scorched. It's a Mediterranean climate so it's pretty moderate, and there's a long growing season." Alex answers without really thinking, stunned to hear the unfamiliar words slipping so easily past his lips. Apparently he absorbed much more of his landscaper's endless lecturing than he'd thought.

David busies himself serving up dinner - roast leg of lamb, a well-seasoned mixed mash of carrot, parsnip, turnip and potatoes along with roast artichokes - filling Alex's plate first as their guest, then Luke's and lastly his wife's and his own. Yvonne fills their glasses with homemade cider.

"I don't think I can grow peppers here," she says, "but that would be lovely. David, will you say a few words?"

Luke bows his head while his dad gives thanks for their food. So far, so good.

After a moment Alex follows Luke's example. His own family has never been big on organized religion of any flavor, but he's got no objection to it. When David finishes, Alex takes an appreciative sniff of his food. "This smells amazing."

Yvonne blushes a little. "Thank you. Hopefully it tastes as good," she says, reaching across the table to give Luke's hand a squeeze. It's been a while since they've seen their son and never with someone like Alex. A boyfriend. Someone he's living with. It's a part of his life he's always kept from them. "How did you and Luke meet?"

"At an industry party," Alex replies, recalling what Luke told his sister Elin when she asked that same question. They've got to keep their lies straight. "Those things can get really boring. I liked having someone to talk to about something other than Hollywood."

Luke breathes a sigh of relief when Alex answers so smoothly, supplying the same response he'd given his lover's family. Until his father asks, "Like what?"

"Music, mostly," Alex says, mentally scrambling for something to add -- and trying to make sure nothing inappropriate as all hell falls out of his mouth. "And, actually, we did talk about work a little," he admits sheepishly. "Because I knew Luke's face but it took me a little time to figure out from where." There. And the words have the added benefit of being true.

"Whereas I knew who you were the moment I saw you," Luke says with a smile. "And luckily I didn't make too much of an idiot out of myself." Which applies to any version of how they met.

Regardless of anything else she might think or feel about their relationship, the look of sheer happiness on her son's face is unmistakable and it's undeniable that it's Alex who's put it there. "Your work is mostly in Los Angeles?" she asks him, certain if that's the case it means Luke will mostly be there as well.

Alex is busy smiling adoringly across the table at his lover, and so he's a moment behind in realizing that Yvonne's question was directed to him. "Ah, yes, sorry. Yes. I film my TV show there about eight months of the year, and then the rest of the time I travel and sometimes make a movie or two." He nods at her and smiles, then takes a sip of his cider.

"Does that mean you'll be giving up your place in London?" David asks Luke, since obviously his son's the one with the more flexible schedule.

"No, I don't think so," Luke says slowly. He and Alex haven't really discussed the subject. "We'll still be over here occasionally and who knows where my work will take me. I'd rather stay at my place than in a hotel when I'm here and if I'm away enough, maybe I'll rent the place out, use it as an investment."

"Your flat has that amazing shower," Alex murmurs, and an instant later wishes he hadn't said it. "My house is just a rental," he says, quickly trying to cover up for drawing glaring attention to the intimacy between him and his lover. Luke's parents seem stunningly comfortable with all this so far, but Alex is on the edge nonetheless, wondering when they might decide enough is enough. "I never figured on staying there more than a few years."

"Would you buy something in L.A.?" Luke asks, complimenting his mum on the lamb as he takes another bite. And maybe they shouldn't _really_ be talking about this with his parents right there, and having _just_ met Alex, but he wouldn't be here with his lover if he wasn't intending to make a life with this man and his mum and dad have to know that.

"Nah, I don't think so," Alex replies with a shake of his head. He cuts the succulent mutton into pieces, every one making his mouth water. "If I keep getting regular work in L.A. I'd rather just go on renting there. And then maybe invest in a place somewhere up the coast, totally removed from the city." He glances up to meet Luke's eyes, wondering what his lover thinks of this.

"That would be amazing. On the water or inland?" Luke asks, giving his mum a smile when he notices her watching him.

"On the water, I'm pretty sure. I love the ocean. I love all of its moods." Alex swallows another bite of food and then gives Yvonne a smile. "This is incredibly delicious, thank you." His mind is on the conversation, however, and he's wondering if Luke is onboard with these ideas or not. Because, shit, they've never even talked about this kind of thing.

"Thank you," Yvonne responds demurely, before asking, "The two of you haven't discussed this before?" A question she's certain is on her husband's mind but which he wouldn't himself ask.

Luke shrugs. "We've both been pretty busy with work since we got together. Mostly we've been at Alex's place in L.A. or mine in London, other than the time he spent with me in New Zealand, this last month while I finished up with the Hobbit," he points out, making sure his parents know that Alex has sacrificed too, that it's not all him doing the accommodating. "We haven't worked out all the little details yet but we're usually on the same page," he says, smiling over at Alex. "And I love the water, so I'd be totally thrilled with us getting a place on the coast."

Alex grins at that, thrilled to hear Luke say it. But god, he's reeling. They're talking about investing in a home together - surely a sign of intended permanence - and they're doing it with an _audience_. An audience of Luke's parents, no less. He's definitely lost his mind. Funny that he didn't notice it at the time... "Do the two of you like to travel?" he asks, glancing first at David, and then at Yvonne. "Are you all right on airplanes?"

"I wouldn't say we like to travel. Mostly we travel for faith-based reasons," David replies, speaking for both of them. "The few times we visited Luke in London, we drove, but if he settled in Los Angeles, I suppose we would have to be willing to travel there at some point."

Yvonne nods. "My parents - Luke's nana and gransha - they depend on us to be here and help them out but we could probably manage a week if we made other arrangements." She's not sure how she would feel staying in her son and his lover's home but presumably Luke could arrange a hotel for them.

"I'm looking forward to meeting your parents," Alex says with a nod. "Luke talks a lot about them. They sound like very special people."

"They are," Yvonne says with a smile, refilling everyone's glasses with cider. "But they're... they might not be as accepting of meeting you as we are. It took them quite a while to get used to Luke being gay and they seem to have done so, but I think it's because it's in theory, if you know what I mean, whereas you're evidence of the actual practice." She bites at her lower lip, distinctly uncomfortable, hoping she's not putting her foot in it.

"Ah." Alex understands immediately, of course, and he nods. "I'm certainly not looking to make anyone uncomfortable," he assures her, then looks across the table at his lover. "It's your call, okay?" he says softly, meeting Luke's gaze and trying to convey to his lover that he really means this.

"I know," Luke says, giving Alex a soft smile, "but I want them to meet you. I think they can handle it."

David clears his throat. "Either way, they won't be outright rude or anything and we've made reservations at the Arms so they're all excited about that."

Luke chuckles. "Yeah, that'll keep them happy."

Offering Alex more lamb, Yvonne decides to keep going since they're already treading what could be rough waters. "Do you mind if I ask you something very personal?"

Alex blinks, surprised at her directness. Then he shakes his head. "No, I don't mind you asking," he says, and sips at his cider with a happy little moan. "Especially when you're feeding me like this."

Yvonne smiles. "When Luke told me you and he were involved, I looked you up and I noticed that all the articles in all the magazines were about you and various women." She pauses, taking a deep breath before forging on. "Are you bisexual? Have you been serious with men before? What happens when people notice you're together and they know Luke is gay?"

 _Whoa_. Was Alex surprised before? Because he's downright shocked now, and can't even risk a glance at Luke to gauge whether his lover had any inkling these questions were coming. "I've been with lots of women, yes," he tells Yvonne quietly, steadily meeting her eyes. "And men, too, although I never was as serious about any of them as I am about Luke. Actually I'm more serious about him then I ever was with any of my girlfriends, either." He pauses and draws in a breath, fervently hoping that he's not about to throw a dirty grenade smack into their lovely family meal. "I've asked Luke to marry me."

Luke's watching the whole thing with wide eyes, part of him wanting to rein his mum in while the other wants to hear what Alex has to say. But then Alex goes and breaks their big news and he watches both his parents blanch. Christ.

"Marry?" his dad says after a moment, as though he's not quite sure they've heard right.

"Yes, sir." Alex nods, not flinching away from the question... or the volumes of meaning behind it. "I don't know if we'll live somewhere it'll ever be legally recognized or not. But the details don't matter to me that much. What matters is that I want to commit my life to your son." _Christ_. Alex hasn't so much wanted to squirm beneath a parental _look_ since he was sixteen years old and being accused of knocking up Katerina Grundwald. Which he hadn't even done. This time, though... Yeah, Alex is pretty sure he's guilty of every torrid thing Luke's parents are thinking about him right now.

"And you said yes?" David asks his son after a moment. "You want this? To be _married_?" Clearly struggling with the idea.

Yvonne keeps silent, watching the men. It's one thing for them to accept that their son is gay, that God would not want them to reject or abandon him, but for them to embrace his relationship with another man, to support and celebrate it... that goes completely against their faith.

Luke nods. "Yes, I do," he says, wishing he was beside Alex. Could link their fingers and reassure Alex that this is okay - that he's prepared to accept whatever fallout, whatever outcome there's going to be - that he's made his choice. "I love Alex and I want to spend the rest of my life with him."

David looks away at that, staring somewhere beyond his son's left shoulder. Then he shakes his head. "Your mum and I need to talk," he says, rising to his feet. "You'll stay here," he orders them both, heading for the kitchen, his wife following closely on his heels.

 _Oh. Fuck._ Alex watches as they leave the room. Then he turns his gaze on his lover. "Your dad isn't going to challenge me to single-handed combat or anything, is he?" he murmurs, watching Luke's eyes. He's worried as hell about how Luke is taking all this.

Luke shakes his head, feeling sick to his stomach. He's hoping they'll come around to the idea, that they'll accept _them_ the same way they accepted _him_ , but there's no guarantee.

Alex chews on his bottom lip for a long moment, heartsick at the look on his lover's face. Then he reaches out to take Luke's hand, linking their fingers together. "I'm not going to cause a rift in your family," he says softly. Not that any solutions - any good solutions, anyway - are coming to mind, but he has to get that out there. Luke's family is too important to him, and Luke is too important to Alex.

"We might not have any choice," Luke replies every bit as softly, rubbing his thumb over Alex's knuckles. "We're going to be married, either way," he tells his lover, determined, even as his chest's so tight he can barely breathe.

It's so damn difficult for Alex to keep from going around the dinner table and taking his boy into his arms -- but he doesn't want to risk making a bad situation worse. "Do you think time will help?" he murmurs. "I'm not letting you go. There's no rush."

"I don't know," Luke admits, shaking his head again, tears pricking his eyes. Suddenly he's certain this was a terrible idea. That he should never have brought Alex here, subjected him to this.

Seeing Luke this upset -- it's freaking Alex the hell out. Which he's pretty sure shouldn't be his role right now. He should be supportive, damn it. "Hey," he says softly, and gives Luke's hand a gentle squeeze. "It's going to be all right, _älskling_."

Luke nods, even though he's not sure it will be, not at all. But he squeezes back, knowing he must be worrying Alex. His head snaps up and he lets go though, the reaction instinctive, Christ, as if they've been caught doing something they shouldn't, as his father comes back from the kitchen, his mother behind him, and they take their seats once again. He glances at Alex, worry plain on his face.

Alex is slower to draw his hand back, and he recognizes it as a subconscious challenge: putting the reality of their relationship out there in a modest but very definite way. He needs Luke's parents to know that he's serious about this, about their son.

The hand-holding doesn't go unnoticed - how could it? - but David says nothing, sighing heavily as he sits down, his own hands folded in front of him. "I don't know how much you know about our faith," he says, addressing Alex, "but we believe that homosexuality is wrong. Homosexuals are allowed as members but only if they agree to lead celibate lives and not act on their impulses. If they can't, they're disfellowshipped." He pauses, incredibly uncomfortable with the subject. Between them and Luke, this is something long settled, but Alex makes it necessary to revisit the issue. "When Luke told us he was gay, his mum and I decided that God would understand that no matter how important our faith was to us, we could not turn our back on our son. And we understand how important you are in Luke's life and you are welcome in our home, but we cannot accept the idea that you will marry. It's not something we can recognize. Marriage... is between a man and a woman, and although we understand that you and Luke will go ahead with this, we will not attend any ceremony or celebration or recognize you as his husband when the time comes." He glances at his wife and his son and then back at Alex. "We're sorry. It's not something we can do and although we believe you should meet Luke's grandparents, we would ask you not talk to them about this."

For a long moment Alex simply studies David, trying to absorb all of what's just been said. He doesn't really understand how they can take a stance like that and yet still say they accept Luke's sexuality... they _seem_ accepting, anyway. Everything seemed just fine, until Alex opened his big stupid mouth.

"What if we don't call it a wedding?" he asks quietly, refusing to flinch away from the issue. So what if it fucking makes David and Yvonne uncomfortable -- they're making Luke unhappy, and Alex doesn't have any patience for that. But if they'll be reasonable, then he's willing to negotiate. "Would you object to a simple commitment ceremony?"

"I don't want a commitment ceremony," Luke says quietly. "I want to be married. I want you to be my husband. If they're not willing to be there, that's fine." He tells himself he doesn't care but he knows he will when the time comes.

"Luke," Yvonne says, reaching for his hand but he pulls it away. "You know we can't be there. We'd be disfellowshipped for attending."

Luke nods, staring blindly down at the table in front of him. "I know and I already said it's fine. Let's just talk about something else. Please?"

 _Fucking Christ_. Alex glares at David for a silent minute, fucking furious with him and Yvonne for hurting Luke, and he's damn close to inviting them to just push his temper over the edge. With effort he swallows back his building rage and pushes his chair away from the table. "Dinner was delicious, thank you," he murmurs, carefully keeping his self-control in place. But fuck, it's costing him. "I just need to get a few things from my bag."

Luke looks up in a panic when Alex leaves the table, tempted to follow his lover, to try and explain where his parents are coming from.

David sighs again. "It's not our intention to hurt you, or to offend your friend," he says softly, looking to Yvonne for help but she shakes her head. It's not often that she and her husband disagree but if he's going to put his foot down so firmly, he can do it on his own.

"No, but you have," Luke says, shaking his head. "Couldn't you have just pretended to be happy for us?" he asks. "It's not like we're getting married next week. You could have just said congratulations and then not come at the time."

"Which would go against everything we believe in," David points out.

"Well, you've already done that," Luke retorts, raising his voice. "You should have just shunned me way back when."

Stepping over the creaky stair, Alex shakes his head at the sound of raised voices in the dining room. God, he never would have come here if he'd known Luke's parents would react so badly. It seems he really shouldn't have told them about the engagement, but he honestly doesn't get what _difference_ it makes to them; they already know he and Luke are living together. In sin, ha.

All too soon, Alex returns to the dining room, two gift bags in his hands. He holds out one to Yvonne and the other to David. And he swallows hard before he manages to calmly say, "Thank you for inviting me into your home."

It's incredibly awkward to be handed a gift and to hear Alex's words at a moment such as this but Yvonne looks to her husband and, at his nod, opens her bag. It contains a gorgeous hand-knitted wool sweater in the most incredible shade of dark red and she smiles. "It's lovely, thank you," she says softly, only noticing then that there's another small box inside the bag. She shows her husband and then opens it, her breath catching at the sight of the [gold pin](http://www.rubylane.com/item/727534-14329/Vintage-Swedish-Sweden-18K-Gold) inside. "And this too. Thank you so much."

Luke smiles at Alex. "You too, Dad," he says. "Open yours."

Reluctantly, David does as he's told, finding a matching sweater inside his bag, this one cream-coloured. "It's beautiful," he says. "And you _are_ welcome in our home. We're simply trying to reconcile our beliefs and the requirements of our faith with..." he trails off, unsure of how to word it without offending, "your plans."

 _...With your dicks_ , Alex substitutes in his head, but fortunately has great enough control of his mouth at this moment that he doesn't say the words aloud. He watches Luke, trying to read his lover's eyes. After a long moment of silence, he nods to acknowledge David's words. "Luke and I are going to take a walk," he announces, his gaze still fixed on his lover. But he realizes how imperious that sounds, and he doesn't want to give Luke's parents the impression that... well, that Luke's gone and given up his free will to Alex's corrupting influence, or something. He holds out his hand, and says more gently, "If you'll show me around."

Luke nods and takes Alex's hand, letting his lover pull him to his feet. He gives his parents a quick nod before leading Alex out the front door and down the lane they'd driven in on.

Carefully, Alex blows out a breath. "You all right?" he whispers, linking his fingers with Luke's. He's already looking all around, trying to figure out where they can get just a little bit of privacy.

Tears fill Luke's eyes at the question and he shakes his head. No. He's not all right. But he can't say a word, the lump in his throat too big to let anything past.

Alex glances worriedly at his lover, then tugs him into a thicket of trees. "Hey," he whispers, _finally_ able to take his boy into his arms again. "We're okay." He strokes Luke's hair. "Your parents... I don't know, maybe they're handling this pretty well, considering I'm the first guy you've brought home." Frowning, he pulls back just far enough to meet Luke's eyes. "I am the first, right?"

Alex feels so good, so solid and real and Luke can't help but cling to him, shaking his head and rolling his eyes when his lover teases him. " _Yes._ " He lets out a shuddering breath and tries to give Alex a smile, but it's weak and he's so tired. "I don't know why I thought they'd be okay with it," he says softly.

"I am taller than people tend to expect," Alex agrees. "I'm a lot to handle at first." At first, right. Alex hugs Luke tighter to him. "We'll give them some time, okay?" he murmurs, breathing his lover in. It's not like Alex to be the reasonable one, but for Luke... "Do you feel all right staying there tonight? You know we don't have to."

It hasn't even occurred to Luke that there's a choice until Alex points it out. They could leave. They _could_ go stay in a hotel. Hell, they could fuck off to Cardiff and just pretend this was all a bad dream. But it's not like Luke to run away from anything, not even this. "It'll only be worse if we don't stay," he says after giving it some thought. "But if things aren't better tomorrow, we'll cut our visit short and head back."

Somehow Alex knew that would be the answer, and as much as he fucking hates knowing they'll be sleeping in separate beds tonight, he's so damn proud of Luke, of the courage running through his veins. "Okay," he whispers, and softly kisses his lover. "We'll be all right. I'll get a good night's sleep, and tomorrow morning I'll even pretend that I'm charming. Your parents will never know what hit them."

Luke laughs and kisses Alex back, losing himself in his lover's mouth for a long moment. Finally, pulling back enough to see Alex's eyes, he says, "I love you and I'm so glad you're here with me. I can't imagine dealing with this on my own." Not when his parents can make him feel like a child all over again, terrified of losing their love and approval.

"If I weren't here with you, then you wouldn't even have this to deal with," Alex points out logically. Then he shrugs, and presses his forehead lightly to Luke's. "You know I don't want to be anywhere but with you."

"So you'll marry me no matter what, right? Even if my parents are set on not accepting it," Luke says. "You'll be my husband." It didn't matter before Alex asked, but now that he has, that's what Luke wants. More than anything in the world.

"The only blessing I need is yours," Alex whispers. He threads his fingers through Luke's hair, pulling him in tight for a kiss. Deeper this time, claiming.

Luke moans into Alex's mouth, pressing close, his body responding eagerly.

As much as Alex joked about it before, it's kind of a terrible set-up, being out here in the woods. But fuck it, he is so obviously not going to get even a taste of Luke once they return to the Evans' house for the night. Which means he needs his fix now. "Take your trousers off," he orders gruffly, pressing Luke back against a thick tree trunk, "but keep your shirt on."

"Yes, sir," Luke whispers, shivering at the order. He shucks his trousers as quickly as he can, his cock springing free, jutting achingly hard from his body.

Ordinarily Alex wouldn't even ask this question, but ordinarily they don't find themselves in such threateningly ambiguous circumstances: "Are you prepped?" He drops his own jeans down to his knees, then braces Luke against the tree and hitches his lover's legs up around his waist.

Luke nods, blushing. "Whenever I'm with you," he whispers, winding his arms around Alex's neck.

"Good boy." Alex warms in the heat of that entrancing blush, soaking it up like sunshine. His hands cup Luke's bottom, spreading his cheeks apart so that Alex can nudge the head of his cock just inside Luke's tight ass... and then deeper, pinning his lover against the tree with his thrusts.

"Oh, god, sir," Luke cries, biting down on his lip a moment later, certain they're still too close to the house for safety.

"You feel so goddamn good," Alex whispers, his lips against his boy's throat. He rocks his hips again and again, surging deeper each time.

Luke bites his lip so hard his mouth fills with copper and he moans, head back, eyes closed, his whole being focused on the feel of Alex's cock sliding into him, filling him so perfectly.

They're in the middle of the woods, still so close to the house, but even so Alex doesn't feel any urgency. He blocks it all out, everything. His whole world is his boy, this moment. If he could make it last forever, he would. Gently he sucks on Luke's bottom lip, and the taste of his lover's blood thrills through him.

"Oh god please," Luke gasps, moaning into Alex's mouth, nails digging into his sir's shoulders even through his shirt. "Fuck me."

"I am fucking you," Alex whispers with a smile. But he steps it up, each thrust still long and deep, but with greater force behind it. "And this is what I'll be thinking about, tonight when I'm in your bed." _Alone_.

Luke whimpers at that and his cock throbs between them. Hard. "Oh, god, ohgod, I'm gonna come," he moans, unable to help himself, every thrust setting him on fire. " _Please!_ "

"Yes," Alex growls, absently wondering if the bark is scraping up Luke's ass... Well, if it is, Alex will just have to kiss it and make it better. "Come for me!"

And Luke does. Back arching, one hand pressed against his mouth, he cries out, the sound muffled as he explodes between them, cock spurting again and again.

Alex digs his fingers into Luke's thighs and pins his boy against the tree, trying like hell not to drop him when his own climax bursts through him like a supernova. He sinks his teeth into Luke's shoulder, biting him through the thin cotton of his shirt to smother his own shout.

Luke cries out again, teeth quickly clamping down on his lip, copper heavy on his tongue. He slides his hands into Alex's hair, shoves down harder, wanting every last drop, the sear of his lover's come inside him the only thing that matters.

Breathless, Alex slowly eases back, but only enough to kiss his boy, languid now. Like they've got all the time in the world.

"I can't believe we did that," Luke whispers, Alex's cock still inside him. What if his parents heard them?

"Seriously? Since when did you get the impression I can resist you?" Alex grins. And slowly, carefully, he sets Luke on his feet again, already missing the warmth of his lover's body.

Luke laughs, wincing as he stands and steps away from the tree on unsteady legs. He runs a hand over his backside, surprised to see the smear of blood on his hand, the abrasions now stinging from the salt on his skin. "Ow."

Alex takes Luke's hand to inspect in the dimness, and growls low in his throat. "Turn around," he orders, already dropping to his knees in the dirt.

Eyes going wide, Luke pauses only for a second before complying. He turns, bracing his hands against the tree, completely unsure of what's coming.

Luke's bare backside is a stunning array of scratches and scrapes, and his shirt will probably never be the same. At least the material protected his shoulders from the worst of it. Alex smooths his hands over Luke's hips, then leans in to gently lick the blood from his skin, caressing every abrasion with his tongue.

Luke gasps with both shock and pleasure, spreading his legs and tilting his ass back for more. He can't believe Alex is doing this, that he's down on his knees in the dirt, tenderly licking the blood from Luke's skin.

Of course there's not much in the world that Alex enjoys more. The scent of his boy - all lust and sex and Luke - wraps around him, and it's a heady combination. And seeing where Luke has bled _for him_... God. "I love you," Alex whispers, getting to his feet once more and taking his lover into his arms. "I love you so fucking much."

Luke nods, tears pricking his lids once again. "I love you too," he whispers back, kissing Alex hard on the mouth and clinging tight.

Alex lets him cling -- because it's such a great cover for how much he himself needs the embrace. After long moments though he eases back and tries to brush the dirt and bits of bark from Luke's back. "Think that'll hold you until tomorrow?" he murmurs, smiling at his lover.

"Maybe," Luke says, smiling back, obviously teasing. "But only through the morning."

"I guess we'll have to figure something out for after brunch, then," Alex replies, but then his grin freezes in place. "Um. You think that's still going to happen? Brunch with your grandparents?" He's got no idea how the rest of this visit to Wales is going to go.

Luke slides his hand into Alex's hair and leans up to kiss him again. "Yes. Even if my mum and dad decide not to come, we'll go and meet my nana and gransha. We won't mention the engagement but I never intended to anyway, not until they'd met you and got used to the idea of us."

"Okay." Alex spends a long moment tracing Luke's lips with his tongue. He's so tired, but so damn reluctant to pull away, knowing he and Luke will be separated tonight. "I guess you should put your pants back on."

Luke laughs. He'd completely forgotten he was half naked. "I bet they're still at the table," he says with a slightly guilty look, picking up his pants and putting them back on. "My mum made dessert."

Alex zips up his own jeans, watching his lover closely. "You sure you're all right to go back tonight?" He's certainly feeling steadier after this little interlude in the woods, but hey, they're not his parents.

"No," Luke says with another laugh but he leans in against Alex, taking strength from his lover. "But we're going to do it anyway."

"Okay." Alex hugs Luke, resting his head on his lover's shoulder. "We're going to do it anyway," he echoes. "And I hope your father is done speaking his piece for the time being, because I'm going to need at least five hours of sleep before I'll be able to listen to his crap again and not start shouting at him." Which would be horrible -- at least it would be later, anyway, when Alex would be consumed by shame over treating Luke's parents so badly.

Luke laughs. "I don't think my dad would know what to make of you shouting at him," he says as they walk back towards the house. "I can't remember the last time anyone dared to take him on." Not that he's an ogre or anything, but he's the patriarch of the family and that means everything in his parents' faith. "But he'll probably just make small talk from this point on and pretend we never brought up the other."

"That sounds like a much safer course, yeah," Alex agrees. He links his fingers with Luke's again, wanting to seize every moment of connection before they dive back into the hostile no-touching waters.

"I think maybe I'll let them know tomorrow that we're going to head back, instead of staying tomorrow night," Luke says thoughtfully, tightening his hold on Alex's hand. "I don't think I feel like spending another night apart from you."

"All right." Alex sighs and stuffs his free hand into his pocket. "Is that going to break your mom's heart, though? If you leave earlier than we'd planned? This is the first time you've been home with them in so long..." Alex will freak out - quietly, but still - if he damages Luke's relationship with his parents.

"Probably, but it's already a weird visit and everyone'll be feeling awkward anyway," Luke says. "I think we'd be better off giving them some time to digest everything." Not that he's convinced it'll make any difference.

Alex nods, watching his lover. "Whatever you think is best, _älskling_ ," he murmurs, already dreading the moment - literally getting closer and closer - when they'll have to let go of each other. "Do you want to give me any tips for what I should or shouldn't say to your grandparents? I mean, aside from the engagement and all that." He knows how close Luke has always been to his gransha, in particular.

Luke smiles at Alex, giving his hand another squeeze. "Just talk to them. They're actually much less scary than my mum and dad," he tells his lover. "And worst-case scenario, you can tell them how much you love Wales or talk football. That's guaranteed to get my gransha going."

"I'll tell them about all the Wales you've yet to show me," Alex says, grinning back. "And maybe I'll ask your gransha to teach me some dirty Welsh, since you always refuse to."

Luke blushes. "You might get more than you bargained for if you do that," he says, reluctantly letting go of Alex's hand as they reach the front door. "Ready?"

"No." Alex threads his fingers through Luke's hair and pulls him in close for a deep kiss, plundering his boy's mouth. It's long moments before he eases back, knowing he's not even close to satisfied but that's the way he's going to remain -- for tonight, anyway. "Okay."

Completely melted, Luke just nods in a daze, opening the door. His mum's obviously cleared the dinner dishes but otherwise his parents are sitting exactly as they were when they left. "Sorry," he says instinctively. "We just needed to get some fresh air."

"It's a beautiful night out," Yvonne says simply, rising from her chair. "Alex, have a seat. Luke can help me with dessert."

 _Crap._ Alex really doesn't want Luke to leave the room. Because of course that will put him and Luke's father by themselves, in some awkward parody of intimate conversation. There's really no way out, though, so he gives Yvonne a nod and then takes his seat once more, sitting stiffly at David's elbow.

David nods at Alex and takes a sip of his cider. "Luke tells us you come from a large family," he says finally.

"Yes." _Fuck_. Okay, so apparently they're going to try and fake their way through civility; it's what Luke predicted after all. Alex clears his throat softly. "My mom had to run herd on seven of us. My youngest brother is still at home. Luke's met them all, all at once," he adds. "I was amazed he could stand the chaos."

David nods. "Luke does well with crowds for an only child," he says. "It probably has to do with all his time in the theatre."

Alex mumbles general agreement, but then hopes to heaven that he's not sticking his foot in it - again - when he asks, "Were you always supportive of him wanting to do theater? To perform?"

"Not initially," David admits, "but once we saw how much he loved it and had his teachers telling us just how good he was, we supported him fully."

"He is amazingly talented," Alex muses, tracing his fingertip over a pattern in the tablecloth. "Does he get that from either of you?"

"His mum has a lovely voice, but no, neither of us has ever been interested in performing," David says then smiles. "But his gransha used to sing in the pub on occasion. Years ago." He pauses, taking another sip of cider. "What about you? Do you sing or play any instruments?"

* * *

In the kitchen, Luke watches his mum assemble dessert. "I thought you wanted help?" he says, trying to anticipate her needs and put out plates, forks, knives on the tray to take in.

"Not really," Yvonne admits. "I just wanted some time alone with you." She smiles over at her son and touches the ring on his right hand. "Is this from him?"

Luke nods. "Yeah. It's my engagement-slash-wedding ring," he says, unsure of her response.

"It's beautiful," Yvonne says, piling Welsh cakes on a plate and putting out some clotted cream and homemade preserves. "Have you set a date?"

* * *

"No," Alex says in answer to David's question. "I mean, everybody sings, right? Just most of us can't do it the way Luke does." He shrugs, completely unsure what he's supposed to talk about here. "I grew up acting, then I took a long break to just be a normal kid. I did a few years in the navy, and then I went back into acting. I did a lot of theater in Sweden."

"So you have that in common too," David says, nodding, more to himself than to Alex.

Alex raises an eyebrow. "I think we have a lot in common," he remarks softly, unaware that this was one of the roadblocks with Luke's parents. "We both love theater and music. We're both actors. We love to travel," he murmurs. "And for us both, our families are incredibly important to us." _Suck on that_.

David nods again. "I've never seen Luke so happy," he says, quickly adding, "Not that he's not always happy, but since he's met you, it's been more than that. He seems... more complete. Content."

Nodding, Alex absorbs that. It's something he kind of already knew, but... it's still good to hear Luke's father admit to it. "He makes me happier than I've ever been, also. We're both very good for each other."

"And his mum and I see that," David tells him. "We do." And it's not their relationship they're objecting to... it's just... He changes the subject slightly. "Luke said your parents and family really welcomed him."

* * *

Luke shakes his head slowly. "No, it really just happened," he says softly. "While we were in Sweden."

Yvonne nods, putting the finishing touches to the tray. "Well, let me know when you set one. Me, not your da, you understand..."

Luke nods. "I will," he assures her, wondering if his mum would ever really go against his dad in anything.

"Good." She smiles and steps back, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek and then gesturing at the tray. "You can carry this in for your poor mum."

* * *

"Oh, yeah," Alex agrees with a nod. "They absolutely adored him." Which to Alex's mind is just the natural course of things; how could anyone not fall in love with Luke at first sight? He looks up as his lover enters the room from the kitchen, and can feel his own sappy smile of response spread across his face.

Luke grins back and places the tray on the table, thrilled to see his dad and Alex looking like they've managed at least to be civil to each other. "Have you ever had Welsh cakes?" he asks, helping his mum set out the dishes. "My mum makes the best."

"Luke!" Yvonne protests but she can't help smiling.

"Well, you do," Luke insists, taking his seat once more.

"Tea?" she asks Alex. "There's also more cider."

"Tea, please," Alex answers, "and no, I haven't. But they smell absolutely delicious." They look inviting, too, some of them golden brown and some dusted with white sugar. "I'm so grateful you taught Luke how to cook," he tells Yvonne earnestly. "I used to live on take-out."

Luke blushes, demonstrating to Alex how to smear the cakes with clotted cream and preserves. "He still does, when I'm not there," he teases, eyes sparkling, gaze skittering aside to his dad, wondering if he's said too much.

But David just laughs. "I'm the same when your mum has to stay over with your grandparents. Not take-away but soup and packaged biscuits." He smiles at Alex.

The smile surprises Alex -- are they pretending everything is okay now? It's weird to him that Luke's parents can just gloss over the whole homosexual thing right up until someone mentions marriage. _Whatever_. He decides to just take it as a blessing, and avoid certain topics in the future.

The first bite of cake nearly melts in his mouth, and Alex works to control his decadent moan. Swallowing, he nods at Yvonne. "Delicious."  



End file.
